Reflector for marking driveways and the like

ABSTRACT

The reflector for marking driveways and the like is adapted to be resiliently clamped to a rod which can be inserted into the ground. One or more reflectors can be supported on the rod at various angles and reflect the lights of passing cars to mark, for example, the entrance to a driveway. Each reflector is constructed of a circular molded plastic frame to hold the reflecting plastic and has internal resilient members projecting inwardly from the frame which cooperate to securely clamp the reflector to the supporting rod which passes through aligned holes in the frame and a passage between the springlike internal members. Each reflector at one end has an octagonally shaped embossment on the frame around one of the holes in the frame, and a second embossment around the aligned hole at the opposite side of the frame which has an octagonally shaped inset. Thus, the embossment of one reflector can be seated in the inset embossment of an adjacent reflector to locate a respective reflector at four different angular positions on the supporting rod relative to an adjacent reflector.

United States Patent [191 Kannenberg 51 Feb. 13, 1973 REFLECTOR FORMARKING Primary Examiner-David Schonberg DRIVEWAYS AND THE LIKEAssistant Examiner-Michael J. Tokar [75] Inventor, Arnold Kannenberg,Germam Att0meyAndrus, Sceales, Starke and Sawal] town, Wis.

[57] ABSTRACT [73] Assignee: Lemco Plastics Inc., Milwaukee,

Wis. The reflector for marking driveways and the like is adapted to beresiliently clamped to a rod which can Filed! y 7, 1971 be inserted intothe ground. One or more reflectors [211 App] No: 147,435 can besupported on the rod at various angles and reflect the lights of passingcars to mark, for example, the entrance to a driveway. Each reflector iscon- [52] US. Cl. ..350/97, 350/245, 40/19, Structed f a circular moldedplastic frame to h|d the 40/145 reflecting plastic and has internalresilient members [51] Int. Cl. ..G02b 5/12 projecting inwardly from theframe which cooperate [58] Field of Search ..350/9799, 102, to Securelyclamp h fl t to the supporting rod 1 309i 245; which passes throughaligned holes in the frame and a 40,19 passage between the springlikeinternal members. Each reflector at one end has an octagonally shaped[56] References C'ted embossment on the frame around one of the holes int to the frame, and a second embossment around the UNITED STATES PATENTSaligned hole at the opposite side of the frame which has an octagonallyshaped inset. Thus, the embossment of one reflector can be seated in theinset em- 2,764,913 10/1956 Green ....350 304 bPSSmem of i reflectrespec' 2,686,456 8/1954 Szuba et al. ..350/288 reflector at fourdifferent angular POSIUOHS the supporting rod relative to an adjacentreflector.

PATENTED FEB] 3 I973 INVENTOR. ARNOLD H KANNENBERG Attorneys REFLECTORFOR MARKING DRIVEWAYS AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONReflectors supported on standards or rods which may be inserted into theground to mark the entrance or edges of the driveway are well known.However, heretofore the reflectors have been held onto the standard orrod by fasteners, such as external clamps, which had to be releasedbefore the reflectors could be moved up or down on the rod. Furthermore,the reflectors needed to be completely removed from the rod before theycould be changed to different angular positions. The constructionsdescribed are expensive and do not have the desired versatility for useunder varying circumstances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes thedeficiencies of the prior reflector markers by supplying a reflectorwhich is easily assembled on the rod and requires no removable fasteningmembers to hold it in the position described on the standard orsupporting rod.

The reflectors of the invention preferably are assembled on a roundstandard or rod for ease of rotation of the reflectors held by the rodto the angular position desired without removal of the reflectors fromthe rod.

The reflectors may be made in several different ways. Each reflectornormally has a circular frame which is preferably molded from plasticand provided internally with annular seats on opposite sides to receiveand retain colored reflecting members on both sides of the frame Underone embodiment of the invention, a pair of resilient armlike members aresecured at one end to the inside of the circular frame and then curveinwardly toward each other with the inner end of one of the armlikemembers being free and located opposite the free end of the otherarmlike member. The armlike clamping members extend for-a short distancein a parallel plane in cooperation with -each other to provide a passagetherebetween which is aligned with apparatus or holes provided onopposite sides of the frame. The passage between the armlike members isslightly less in cross section than the supporting rod to which thereflector is adapted to be applied by passing the rod through thealigned holes in the frame and the passage between the armlike members.Due to their resilience, the armlike members are compressed Y outwardlytoward the frame by the insertion of the rod in the passage between themand consequently securely clamp the rod to the frame at the positiondesired. Although the reflectors are securely held in place, they areeasily moved up and down on the rod or rotated to different positionsand readily stacked one upon the other.

Under another embodiment of the invention, an additional clamping of therod by the armlike members is accomplished by permitting the free endsto move slightly before engaging an abutment molded to the inside of theframe which changes the rotational movement of the arms to a straightline movement whereby further compression of the armlike membersoccurs.

Even a greater clamping of the armlike members of the reflector can beaccomplished by securing both endsof the armlike members to'the frame sothat they extend toward each other in a semi-circular complement'arymanner. In this case, since neither end is free to move, the body orcentral portions of the armlike members are compressed upon insertion ofthe rod between them to securely clamp each reflector to the rod.

In all of the described embodiments, an octagonal shaped embossment isprovided around one of the rodreceiving holes in the frame. A secondembossment having an octagonal shaped insert is secured to the framearound the opposite rod-receiving hole in the frame. With thisconstruction, when the reflectors are stacked on a rod, the octagonalshaped embossment of one reflector rests in the octagonal insertembossment of the next adjacent reflector. The construction permits onereflector to be securely held at four different angular positions withrespect to an adjacent reflector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away andillustrating one embodiment of reflectors stacked on top of the other ona supporting standard;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 212 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and illustrating inphantom the various angular positions in which a reflector may belocated on a standard;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, there is illustrated threereflectors 1 assembled on the standard 2 which is shown as a rod whichat one end is adapted to be inserted in the ground for marking adriveway or the like and which at the other end is provided with cap 3.The reflectors 1 are shown as stacked one on top of the other with theupper two reflectors facing in the same direction but with the lowermostreflector turned at an angle of with respect to the upper tworeflectors.

The reflectors 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3 have a circular frame 4 which may bemolded from plastic and the frame 4 internally on both sides is inset toprovide the annular seats 5 for receipt of the colored reflectingmembers 6 which reflect light the color of the reflecting members.Reflecting members 6 are preferably of a specially designed plasticmaterial and are force fitted onto seats 5 and may be cemented orotherwise secured into place.

In the embodiment of the invention in FIGS. 1-3, frame 4 is providedwith the resilient, springlike, compressible arms 7 which extendinwardly of frame 4 toward each other. The arms 7 are secured to theinside of frame 4 at one end at opposite sides of the frame and extendinwardly toward each other in a semicircular manner to a positionrelative to each other whereby they extend in a parallel plane for ashort distance and cooperate to provide a passage 8 between them of alesser cross section than rod 2. The inner ends of the complementaryextending arms 7 are free and located opposite each other and curveoutwardly toward the frame 4. The rod 2 is assembled with each reflector1 by insertion through the aligned apertures or holes 9 in oppositesides of the frame 4 and the passage 8. The insertion of rod 2 betweenthe arms 7 compresses arms 7 outwardly toward the frame 4 due to thegreater cross section of the rod to effect a secure clamping by arms 7of reflector l to rod 2.

However, reflectors l are readily moved up and down rod 2 to differentpositions and can be readily applied to or removed from standard 2. Whenstandard 2 is a round rod, the reflectors 1 are also readily rotated todifferent positions.

In order to locate onereflector 1 in a fixed location with respect to anadjacent reflector 1, each reflector is provided with an embossmentaround one of the holes 9 and preferably, the embossment 10 on theoutside, is of octagonal shape. A second embossment 11 is providedaround the opposite hole 9 and this embossment is of larger size and hasan inset 12 preferably of octagonal shape and of a size to receive anembossment 10 of an adjacent reflector 1. Once the embossment 10 isseated in inset 12 of embossment 11, the reflectors 1 are fixed relativeto each other at the angle selected. If the embossments l0 and 11 havethe octagonal shaped described, a reflector 1 may be set in fourdifferent angular positions relative to an adjacent reflector l. Thesecuring of the reflectors together, as described, permits easyseparation to change the angle of one with respect to the other andpermits simultaneous rotation of several reflectors which are securedtogether. FIG. 3 illustrates in full lines the angular position of thelowermost reflector l with respect to the middle reflector l, and inphantom lines there is shown the various angular positions to which thelowermost reflector l in FIG. 1 may be moved.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4. In thatembodiment, the frame 4 of the reflector l is provided with the alignedapertures or holes 9 at opposite sides of the frame 4 and with theembossments l0 and 11, previously described, around the holes 9 on theoutside of the frame to stack one reflector on top of the other andsecure them together. The semi-circular arms 13 are secured internallyof frame 4 on opposite sides of the frame and extend toward each otherand in a parallel plane for a short distance to provide the passage 14therebetween and aligned with holes 9 for receipt of the standard 2 whenit is inserted through the aligned holes 9. Arms 13 have free ends 15which curve outwardly toward the frame 4. In addition, the L-shapedabutments 16 are secured to the inside of frame 4 with the bottom of theL of each abutment terminating a short distance from the free end ofeach arm 13. The free end 15 of each arm 13 is free to move in asemi-circular path or a short distance under compression upon insertionof standard 2 but upon engagement with a respective abutment 16, thefree end 15 of each arm 13 tends to move in a straight line.Consequently, the body portion of each arm 13 engaging standard 12 iscompressed toward frame 4 by standard 2 and clamps the reflector 1 tostandard 2 with even greater pressure than do the arms 7 of the firstembodiment.

In the event the frame 4 is molded, the L-shaped abutments 16 are offsetto the outside of the frame under the molding procedure. In such event,the enlarged ledge 17 is provided on the inner leg of each abutment andextends inwardly so that it will be engaged by the free end 15 of arespective arm 13 when the arm 13 is compressed by insertion of standard2 in the reflector.

Another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5 effects even agreater clamping force by the arms of the reflector 1 on the standard 2.

This embodiment, the same as the embodiments described, has the alignedapertures or holes 9 at opposite sides of the frame 4 and theembossments 10 and l 1 which are provided on the outside of frame 4around holes 9 in order to secure one reflector 1 to another in stackedrelation on standard 2. In this embodiment, the semi-circular internallyextending arms 18 have both ends secured to the inside of frame 4. Thearms 18 are formed complementary to each other and the body portions ofthe arms 18 extend in parallel planes for a short distance and provide apassage 19 therebetween of lesser cross section than standard 2 which isaligned with holes 9 for receipt of standard 2. Because the ends of arms18 are not free to move, when standard 2 is inserted in passage 19 thebody portions of arms 18 are compressed by standard 2 to tightly clampthe reflector l to the standard and yet leaving it free for movement upand down standard 2 or rotation on standard 2 to different angularpositions.

The invention provides reflectors for ready assembly on a standard orrod to provide a driveway guide or marker in that the reflectors aresecured to a standard by resilient arms which permit ready up and downmovement and rotation of the reflectors to the positions desired.Simplified securing of reflectors together on a standard are provided bymating embossments of octagonal shape on the frame of each reflector tohold the reflectors in angular relationship to each other.

The reflectors are preferably circular and made of molded plastic butmay be of other shapes and of other material. Likewise, although theembossments described for securing the reflectors together are ofoctagonal shaping to obtain maximum versatility, they may be of othershapes. The driveway guide may be used as a marker in many differentlocations.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I claim:

1. A reflector adapted to be secured to a standard for use in markingdriveways and the like, which comprises a frame for receipt ofreflecting means, a pair of internal resilient clamping membersextending inwardly from the frame toward each other in cooperatingrelationship to a position directly opposed with respect to each otherto provide a passage therebetween, aligned apertures at opposite ends ofthe frame and in line with said passage to adapt the reflector forreceipt of a standard passing through the aligned apertures and passage,and with the resilient clamping members disposed to securely clamp thereflector to the standard with which it is assembled but permittingready manual movement of the reflector to varying positions on saidstandard.

2. The reflector of claim 1, in which the frame is circular in shape andthe resilient clamping members are free at the inner end and secured tothe frame at the outer end.

3. The reflector of claim 1, in which the frame is circular and bothends of each resilient clamping member is secured to the frame.

4. The reflector of claim 1, wherein the resilient clamping members aresecured to the frame at the outer end and are free at the inner end, andan internal abutment secured to the frame in line with the free end ofeach resilient clamping member but spaced a slight distance therefrom sothat when a standard is inserted through the apertures in the frame andthe passage between the resilient clamping members each resilientclamping member is forced into engagement with its respective abutmentand is compressed outwardly by engagement with the standard to tightlygrip the same.

5. The reflector of claim 1, wherein an embossment of irregular shape isprovided on the outside of the frame around one aperture and a secondembossment with a shape on the inside corresponding to the shape of thefirst-named embossment surrounds the other aperture to adapt thereflector for assembly on a standard with another reflector with thefirst-named embossment seating within the second-named embossment of anadjacent reflector to secure the reflectors together in varyingpositions relative to each other.

6. The reflector of claim 1, wherein the reflector is adapted to beassembled with a round standard for easy rotation of the reflector todifferent angular positions on the standard.

7. Reflectors adapted to be secured to a standard for use in markingdriveways and the like, each said reflector having a circular frame forreceipt of a pair of reflecting members on each side thereof, a pair ofresilient clamping members curing inwardly from the frame of eachreflector toward and directly opposite each other to form a passagetherebetween for insertion of a standard between the resilient clampingmembers and through aligned apertures provided at opposite ends of theframe and in line with said passage, the said resilient clamping membersbeing adapted to securely clamp each reflector to a standard when thestandard is inserted through the aligned apertures and passage butpermitting ready movement of the reflector to varying positions on saidstandard, an octagonally shaped embossment provided on the outside ofthe frame of each reflector around one of said apertures and a secondembossment having an octagonally shaped inset of slightly greater sizethan the size of the first-named embossment disposed on the frame ofeach reflector around the other aperture, with the firstnamed embossmentbeing disposed to seat in the inset embossment of an adjacent reflectorwhen a pair of reflectors are assembled together on a standard, and theoctagonal shaped embossments permitting location of a reflector on astandard in four different angular fixed positions relative to anadjacent reflector.

1. A reflector adapted to be secured to a standard for use in markingdriveways and the like, which comprises a frame for receipt ofreflecting means, a pair of internal resilient clamping membersextending inwardly from the frame toward each other in cooperatingrelationship to a position directly opposed with respect to each otherto provide a passage therebetween, aligned apertures at opposite ends ofthe frame and in line with said passage to adapt the reflector forreceipt of a standard passing through the aligned apertures and passage,and with the resilient clamping members disposed to securely clamp thereflector to the standard with which it is assembled but permittingready manual movement of the reflector to varying positions on saidstandard.
 1. A reflector adapted to be secured to a standard for use inmarking driveways and the like, which comprises a frame for receipt ofreflecting means, a pair of internal resilient clamping membersextending inwardly from the frame toward each other in cooperatingrelationship to a position directly opposed with respect to each otherto provide a passage therebetween, aligned apertures at opposite ends ofthe frame and in line with said passage to adapt the reflector forreceipt of a standard passing through the aligned apertures and passage,and with the resilient clamping members disposed to securely clamp thereflector to the standard with which it is assembled but permittingready manual movement of the reflector to varying positions on saidstandard.
 2. The reflector of claim 1, in which the frame is circular inshape and the resilient clamping members are free at the inner end andsecured to the frame at the outer end.
 3. The reflector of claim 1, inwhich the frame is circular and both ends of each resilient clampingmember is secured to the frame.
 4. The reflector of claim 1, wherein theresilient clamping members are secured to the frame at the outer end andare free at the inner end, and an internal abutment secured to the framein line with the free end of each resilient clamping member but spaced aslight distance therefrom so that when a standard is inserted throughthe apertures in the frame and the passage between the resilientclamping members each resilient clamping member is forced intoengagement with its respective abutment and is compressed outwardly byengagement with the standard to tightly grip the same.
 5. The reflectorof claim 1, wherein an embossment of irregular shape is provided on theoutside of the frame around one aperture and a second embossment with ashape on the inside corresponding to the shape of the first-namedembossment surrounds the other aperture to adapt the reflector forassembly on a standard with another reflector with the first-namedembossment seating within the second-named embossment of an adjacentreflector to secure the reflectors together in varying positionsrelative to each other.
 6. The reflector of claim 1, wherein thereflector is adapted to be assembled with a round standard for easyrotation of the reflector to dIfferent angular positions on thestandard.